July 4, 2024

Pablo, by Ronan Hart

Pablo, by Ronan Hart

*Featured image courtesy of Ben Hershey on Unsplash* Everyone handles grief differently, and Ronan manages to capture this excellently in this short story. Enjoy, and happy Independence Day for those of you who celebrate! He’s sitting at the top of the steps leading down from the decking to the lawn, facing away from us. His head is bowed, showing the bald spot on his crown, ever-expanding, immutable, and I ask mum if he should be putting sun cream on it if he’s going to be sitting out there for so long. She pauses in her plate drying, gripping it so tight that I’m worried she might shatter it, before sighing and setting it on the workbench with a disregard that would have earned my seven-year-old self a stern reprimand. She closes her eyes for a…

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June 28, 2024

3 Poems by Jonathan Lloyd

3 Poems by Jonathan Lloyd

*Featured image courtesy of David Sinclair on Unsplash* Jonathan Lloyd joins us with captivating descriptions and a refreshing style that will keep you engaged through all three of his poems. The old man from Wales gyascutus picks his way through the bramble thorns on his way to pub. His knee bothers. The beer warm. The company chatty. The rain. The window–fogged. The old man walks home through the bramble across bogs, underneath bright spilled sky. The field a rimfull of misty heaven; the thorns’ lesson slumbers, all light, the window hindsight clear year on to yesteryear. There’s no word for snow in Inuit– that’s baloney. Must be fifty. Yet the Greeks did not have a word for word. And they wrote them alltogetherlikethis and then .sihtekilrehtegotlla The Germans just stick stuff together to make a…

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June 24, 2024

“La Hacienda de Las Chismosas” by Rachel Gonzalez

“La Hacienda de Las Chismosas” by Rachel Gonzalez

*Featured image courtesy of Katsiaryna Endruszkiewicz on Unsplash* This week we are proud to present another piece by our Writer-in-Residence, Rachel Gonzalez. Rachel has put a lot of work into creating this story, and it has resulted in a truly beautiful piece of writing. They come to La Hacienda to ease their bodies and their minds.  It’s a resplendent house of generations that will always stand. The burdened, the troubled, the mischievous, all come for the caring touch from the hands of the hacienda. With more importance and reverence than any state building or diplomat’s home, it is the beating heart of this town. A home to all, if even for a moment. Halls of brightly-tiled walls and dimly-lit ways for privacy and peace. Cobblestone paths meander and lead into the heart of the hacienda….

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June 21, 2024

It’s All Been Done Radio Hour

It’s All Been Done Radio Hour

It’s All Been Done Radio Hour, a live scripted comedy show and podcast, was created in 2015. Building on the success of that program, and realizing many in the talented troupe had other gifts to share, creator Jerome Wetzel expanded to the It’s All Been Done Presents network one year later. Based in Columbus, Ohio, we seek to prove that not all American entertainment must come from the coasts. Instead, the middle of the country can compete in this arena as well, with quality offerings. To that end, IABD Presents seeks to be your home for podcasts, live theatre, movie and television reviews, written work, and more! Privates:Ex Marks the Spot Detective Jake Cotton is on, and sometimes in, the case in this noir spoof. Chapter 1 Dame Judy Bench asks her ex-boyfriend, private eye…

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June 20, 2024

4 Poems by Glen Armstrong

4 Poems by Glen Armstrong

*Featured image courtesy of Pexels on Pixabay* Glen Armstrong has a unique voice and style that leads to some magical lines in his poetry. Check out his four poems down below. Antonyms for “Blue Grass”  Has the violin been over-repaired?  It doesn’t sound   hillbilly enough.  And what about my singing voice?  There are worse ways to earn a dollar.  I holler   at my sweetheart the way I holler   at an animal  that it’s time to eat.  Rich folk leave the Met pretending   their feet do not exist,  pretending that a God   they don’t believe in has chosen them  with a magnet   tied to a string   tied to a bamboo fishing pole.  We invite them to pull up a chair,  but they are statues  broken from their bases.  We offer them bread,  but their bellies are…

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June 19, 2024

Excerpts from “Ocean of Tears” by Ololade Akinlabi

Excerpts from “Ocean of Tears” by Ololade Akinlabi

Ololade Akinlabi is an author who isn’t afraid to discuss gender and societal issues in his work. Included below are two excerpts from his upcoming novel, Ocean of Tears. The excerpts are followed by an interview with Ololade, where he discusses his inspiration for writing the book. CHAPTER FOUR DUNSI AND HER CHILDREN DRESSED FOR CHURCH and waited patiently for the decision of the pregnant clouds that loomed outside. As she settled into her seat on the sofa next to Ariyo, Dunsi couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride in the vibrant garment she had purchased for her daughter. The intricate details and col­ors perfectly complemented Ariyo’s natural beauty. Itunu, seated beside Ariyo, looked dashing in his African wax print Ankara outfit and brown sandals. Tobi, who occupied the other end of the sofa,…

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June 14, 2024

6 Poems by Marissa LaPorte

6 Poems by Marissa LaPorte

*Featured image courtesy of Ian Deng on Unsplash* We have a nice collection of poems this week by Marissa LaPorte. Marissa evokes a lot of emotion in her writing, which we were immediately drawn to. Let’s give her a warm welcome to the community! Smoke and Nostalgia on the Underground City Train  The city smog was suffocating  Air purifiers blasting noise like static   on the underground train   Those purifiers didn’t have a chance against the thick city air   It swarmed in like hordes of black flies every time the train stopped   and dared to open its doors to the harsh conditions of outside  Silly us for thinking we would be safe  underground  Sillier that people still believe it is a long-term fix  I stifle the urge to laugh in the face of the absurdity  Maybe…

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June 7, 2024

“The Books of Thoth” by Sam McDonald

“The Books of Thoth” by Sam McDonald

The god of wisdom holds many books with his great library. Unfurl the papyrus, and breathe in the ancient scent. Come with us as we explore the stories contained within The Books of Thoth. The Books of Thoth is an audio drama anthology podcast. You will explore tales of the past, the future, and even alternate realities. Every book in Thoth’s library has a story to tell. Let’s go find some, shall we? 100 million years in the future. Humans are long extinct. Squids rule the Earth. They only know us from the fossils we leave behind. What will they make of us? What assumption will they draw? Written and produced by Sam McDonald. A fleet of alien space probes enter the night sky. But this is not our sky, and the probes are from…

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June 4, 2024

“All’s Fair in Love and War” by Brandon Breen

“All’s Fair in Love and War” by Brandon Breen

*Featured image courtesy of Jack Ward on Unsplash* This piece by Brandon Breen takes us on an emotional journey that also gives us some insight into Italian history. This is truly a special piece and we hope Brandon shares with us again in the future. Padua, Italy, 1968 Everything was about to change in Gabriella’s own country. Not everyone had the foresight to see that the revolutionary spirit brewing inside the students would soon be turned out onto the failures of Italy itself. There were so many injustices going on in Italy and the entire world and it was ironic that it was an occurrence on a worldwide scale that reflected the lens back towards Italy. Others were convinced that fascism was dead and gone and ignored the fermenting of familiar ideology. What most people…

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June 3, 2024

3 Poems by Ndaba Sibanda

3 Poems by Ndaba Sibanda

*Featured image courtesy of Ian Kiragu on Unsplash* Ndaba Sibanda is a skilled poet who writes lines that are both intelligent and emotional. Take a look at his excellent poems below. Doors Of Justice a loss of mental faculties for a ruthless street robber and an infamous killer got tongues wagging- with many citizens claiming karma had finally knocked on the doors of justice Ours Is An Unbreakable Love Your gains are the pains of villains, Your grins come in several scopes, I really revere your super sunrises, but Beautiful Beloved, I’ve requests despite your stunning, seemly sunsets. You’re the nub of love and custody. You’re not just any other landscape, for at the core of our link is a bold bond. Ours is durable, divine, dear and decisive. Though I can live yonder, it’s…

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